Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-03

IN submitting to the House yesterday the report
OF the disagreement OF the conferees on the District
appropriation bill, Messrs. Wilson and Henderson,
Two OF the conferees, made remarks. Mr.. Wilson
salo tnat The Senate had added sixty-flve amend
mentS 70 the bill as 1t passed the House. increas-
Ing the amount OF the bill by about $780, 600, and
had inserted clause authorizing the Commits
sioners 10 sell any ground belonging to the Dis
trlc1 In tne1r discretion, and apply the money to
tne purchase OF any other ground which they
mlgnt consider more suitable for school Sites This
clause, MI. Wilson reckoned, might cover an addi-
tlonal expenditure OF $3.50 900, making the entire
increase by Senate amendments s64O O00 He said
oTy Vi cne OIL and OF how 1t should be framed. In
Lne opinion OF the House committee the District
taxpayers of the District but are only the agents
payers.
THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TAXPAYERS.
MI. wilson held that Congress represented the
taxpayers OF the District SIT is our desire, I" he
said Ito make each item in the bill so specific that
there can be no doubt as to its meaning or as to
the particular purpose for which the money Is to
De spent II new school is to be built we hold
site at least the school district in which it is to be
SITUATED; new streets are to be made we hold
that the bill should designate the localities; If i'm
pTOVemenCS are 10 be made on some streets and
not on ALL we hold the selection of streets should
pc made by Congress- and set forth In the bill.
wv oaAS COAdOC HAS ROuc On u very OlI.
1erent theory; that committee would place large
sums OF money In the hands of these agents Of
congress without any consid ,stipulations
at their own sweet will One Of the principal
items upon which the conferees have failed to
agdee is that Which relates to
called for 100000 for the pavement Of
new streets within the city limits. Last year we
present bill it is proposed to appropriate $500
when, after full investigation, we are convinced
is sufficient for present need. For current repairs
upon streets we also increase the appropriation
But the Senate inserted in the bill the S4OO 600
which the Commissioners demanded. We inserted
In our bill clause to prohibit the Commissioners
IRON paying over 81 per square yard for the best
concrete equal to the best hitherto laid in the Dis
trict OF Columbia: Before doing so we satisfied
that price would be fairly profitable, and our
reason for doing it was that during the past year
the engineer commissioner has undertaken to pay
E12o 1Or concrete Which is SO far inferior as to
nave base OF only four inches instead Of six.
That, we believe, has been done In violation of a
previously enacted law; but lest there should be
any doubt about the law on the question. we in
serted this clause, which the Senate has stricken
out"
THE MASSACHUSETTS, AVENUE EXTENSION
"But the chief and most irreconcilable differ
ence Z" Mr.. Wilson said, ais upon the item for the
construction Of suburban streets and roads, which
means the opening OF Massachusetts avenue. The
commissioners asked the House to appropriate
6O,OOO for that purpose. The committee with the
commissioners surveyed the line OF the proposed
extension and saw no need for 1t. Not only do we
see no present necessity, but present excuse for
the opening and construction OF other streets and
roads, so long as thickly settled portions of the
city and well-settled suburbs are not supplied
with good roads. The proposed opening OF other
roads at the present time seems to us to be for
speculative purpose with reference to dealings in
real estate. Against that we have taken our
stand. We are willing to appropriate literally for
the improvement Of existing streets and roads
both in the city and outside the city limits"
Mr.. Wilson also explained other items on which
the c0nfereeS were unable to agree.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
AS to the public schools, he said the estimates Of
the Commissioners included 800, for new
school buildings, including $4,000 for the High
school. The committee struck out the High
school item, and added $4,000 to the amount
asked for the lower grade schools in the estimates
TO this allowance for new public school buildings
the Senate adds $35 600, to which the conferees OF
the House are perfectly willing to agree; but to
that other clause which would enable the District
commissioners to sell $l5O,OOO worth OF District
ground and invest the money in any real estate
they might select, the House conferees, in the
present fever for real estate speculation In the
District OF Columbia, refused to agree.
ave believe such buildings should be ordered by
Congress, representing the taxpayers and people
nf the District, not by limiting their location to
any particular site, perhaps, but least by deter
mining their location in the several school dvtS-
ions OF the District o. Columbia with reference to
the necessity and interests OF the school poDula-